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Obituaries / Sag Harbor Express / 2003552

Frieda M. Renner Of Sag Harbor Dies July 10

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Frieda M. Renner

Frieda M. Renner

authorStaff Writer on Jul 22, 2022

Frieda M. Renner of Sag Harbor, NY, beloved wife, mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and friend died peacefully at home on July 10, 2022, surrounded with love and her family by her side at the age of 86.

Frieda was born in Jamaica, Queens, NY on May 5, 1936 to German immigrant parents, Otto and Emilie Gross. She graduated from Bishop McDonald Regional High School in 1954 and went on to study nursing. While in nurse training at Caledonia Hospital, Frieda became a Reservist with the US Marine Corps. During this time she made many lifelong friends through whom she met a Navy boy named Jim Renner (from Indiana). Shortly after graduation she married Jim in 1958 and they moved to Sag Harbor. Frieda’s true calling was nursing and she began her career at Southampton Hospital. She left the hospital and continued as a private duty nurse to give her the flexibility to raise her six children and be an integral part of the Sag Harbor community, which she loved so dearly. In a career spanning over 50 years, she found great satisfaction caring for her patients, many of which she had been with for decades. During that time she became very close to the families and considered them friends until her last days. Our Mom had a way of always putting herself last and making everyone feel special and unique. She was the go-to person for many civic organizations over her 63 years in Sag Harbor. She was never able to say no to someone in need. She loved her van. Many times it was packed with friends and family, Girl Scouts, her fellow nurses, Homemaker friends, Columbiettes, and church groups. Whether it was picking up Girl Scout cookies and dropping them off at various locations across Long Island, chaperoning school trips to points unknown or taking a drive with a good friend just to see where the road would lead. Our Mom loved life!

Frieda is survived by her husband Jim of 63 years and their six doting children. Cheryl (husband Bill Rozzi), Jim “Jimbo” (wife Laurie), Gretchen (husband Joe Swiderski), Mary (husband Stephen Petronio), Emilie (husband Todd Bennett) and Rob Renner. As well as her eleven adoring grandchildren and one great grandchild. Toni Rozzi (husband Ryan Borowsky) and their daughter Ainsley, Aaron Rozzi (wife Emily), Otto Renner, Fynn Renner, Anna Petronio (her fiancé Stephen Cowell), Rob Petronio, Jake Bennett, Duncan Bennett, Phoebe Bennett, Wilson Bennett and Wyatt Renner. Frieda was predeceased by her parents, Otto and Emilie Gross, her baby sister Wilfrieda and her brother, Robert Gross. To honor Frieda, we share a line from her chosen poem “…do good deeds, miss me but let me go”. Memorial donations may be made in Frieda’s name to East End Hospice.

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